Honduras: 8 Lessons Learned (Through Heart To Honduras)

Lesson 1: Things Don’t Always Go As Planned

Three days before we were to leave for Honduras our flight was cancelled. Luckily, they worked out an alternative with a 10 hour layover in Texas. We just got to spend more time playing cards, strumming guitars, and exploring the airport. Eventually, our flight boarded and we were on our way to Borboton, Honduras.

We were picked up by our Heart To Honduras guides who brought us to where we were staying. Their camp was guarded day and night while we stayed in the colorful buildings.

Lesson 2: Do Not Scream

Funny story. One of the guys was taking a shower when all of a sudden we heard screaming and saw him running in a towel. He seen a spider! The guards came running from their posts thinking something was wrong. False alarm. They apparently didn’t think that was an emergency.

Lesson 3: You Can Communicate Without Speaking The Same Language

Our team of guys helped build a house for a family while they were there. The foundation was built (Our church donated the money to fund the foundation so it would all ready be made for us when we got down) and we had to create the walls and roof. We got it done within the 4 days we were there! Amazingly, the guys were able to communicate with the Hondurans despite the language barrier! Through gestures, expressions, and actions, they were able to ask for hammers/nails and even joke around with each other!

Being part of the group of girls, we stayed at the church in Borboton, which is the sister church of Clarkston Community Church, where we led a vacation bible school for them. They loved simple things like puppets out of paper lunch bags. I bonded with the kids through the crafts we did together. Language didn’t matter because we demonstrated how to make the crafts. Through demonstration and visuals, we were able to communicate!

Lesson 4: Missions Trips Include Fun!

On the last day, we took an excursion that consisted of snorkeling, a fish fry, swimming, hiking to a waterfall, and a boat ride to Roatan. By staying longer than we should have, our boat ride included riding 6 foot waves brought on by a storm. We survived but some couldn’t hold the fish down. Sea sickness at its best.

Lesson 5: Learn To Like Fish

Hondurans eat lots of fish! We ate fish many times while there. Fish with rice and beans is their prime dish. Refrigerators are hard to come by so they use salt to preserve them, which made me taste my fish a second time since my stomach wasn’t used to all that salt. After that, I decided to only eat the rice and beans.

While we were in Honduras, the sister church ran into a problemo! Two years before, we built them a cement Tilapia tank to provide the church community with tasty meals. The motor that provided with fish with oxygen died. We were able to save the day and the fish by buying them a new motor. Fish is a blessing to Hondurans.

Lesson 6: Appreciate Water

Around every Honduras corner is a sign for Coke and Pepsi. Many Honduras need to have their teeth yanked out because of all the cavities they get from all the Coke and Pepsi they drink. To avoid parasites and sickness, all they drink is pop because it’s cheaper and they avoid getting sick from the dirty water there.

While we were there, the Hondurans from the church gave us plastic bags filled with water. To drink, we would tear the corner and squeeze it into our mouths. It was pretty messy, but it never tasted better since it was pretty hot there. It was impossible not to sweat there (Unless your were dehydrated). One of the girls had to stay in the bunkhouse due to heat exhaustion. After getting home, you start noticing how much water you waste and could be given to those who need it. If only we could share that luxury with the Hondurans.

Lesson 7: Be Grateful And Happy

The Hondurans didn’t have much. They lived in tiny shacks with their chickens. Vulnerable, many were stolen from and had to spend all the money they had to pay soldiers to guard their land otherwise others would claim the property. They had rotten teeth and no fresh water. Many rode their bikes or walked everywhere because transportation was way too expensive for an average family. For having so little, they were the most joyful and happy people I’ve ever met. During worship, they would cheer and dance. We even had a dance off with them! They won, of course! I was learning moves from them.

Lesson 8: Heart To Honduras Is Where You Need To Go

Heart To Honduras is an organisation that helps churches do mission work while providing protection that has proven reliable and housing that is complete with bunks, a huge gym, devotionals for the group, great food (the fish was VERY DELISH, it just didn’t agree with my stomach- I was the only one who had a problem with it), an obstacle course, excursions (extra cost), and they work with your abilities/schedule.

Krystal’s Mind Blog recommends Heart To Honduras to entrust your church group and even youth.

4 Comments

I love that you shared this. I actually have done service work in Honduras a long time ago and some of these experiences you had are so familiar to me, too! I still think about how good their soda pop tastes 😉

I built stoves and did some rain forest conservation. I was even able to do some snorkeling in Utila – it was gorgeous! I remember a lot of my trip but it was more than ten years ago, so some things are fuzzy in memory.